offseasons, the most notable center fielders to move in free agency were Coco Crisp , Mike Cameron , Marlon Byrd and WillyTaveras . If the Sox wanted a player capable of being a center fielder, they were going to have to pay a premium to land him

Cameron , Red Sox, 2 years, $15.5 million 2009-10: Marlon Byrd , Cubs, 3 years, $15 million 2008-09: WillyTaveras , Reds, 2 years, $6.25 million You have to go back to the winter of 2007-08, when Torii Hunter signed a five-year

Jacoby Ellsbury apparently wanted to avoid the infamy of being less powerful than WillyTaveras during a 14-game hitting streak. He lined a double down the right-field line to open the inning, though he was thrown out

Clay Buchholz had a 1-2-3 first inning against the Cincinnati trio of WillyTaveras , Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Joey Votto. But he had to earn it as he threw 18 pitches, including 10 to Votto before the Reds first